


You're A Hidden Sight (Don't Hide From Me)

by TR33G1RL



Category: Naruto
Genre: M/M, Mutual Pining, Party, Pining Shikamaru, Pre-Relationship, Pre-Slash, but only brief mentions, mentions of how the Konoha 13 are actually not okay from everything theyve been through, mentions of how they all love and rely on each other, pining Shino but it's mostly Shikamaru's pov, rated T for mentions of drinking and smoking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-08
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-12 16:16:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28638396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TR33G1RL/pseuds/TR33G1RL
Summary: Ino's throwing a party with everyone invited to just celebrate life and friendship. Shikamaru helps Shino out of an awkward situation at a party and the two introverts manage to escape the crowd for a bit. They strike up a conversation that leads to action that may lead their relationship to something more.
Relationships: Aburame Shino/Nara Shikamaru
Comments: 8
Kudos: 18





	You're A Hidden Sight (Don't Hide From Me)

**Author's Note:**

> They're all in their twenties, but I took some liberties with their outfits bc my brain just messed up on what outfits they were wearing at this point in the timeline.

Huffing out a wispy cloud of smoke, Shikamaru lets the grey-white fog obscure his vision and turns his attention from the person who had been capturing his focus for the past fifteen minutes. More than that long, if he's honest, though it's on a less obtrusive level, a thought that teasingly lingers at the edges and curves of every thought.  _ 'It's troublesome,' _ Shikamaru thinks,  _ 'To have someone taking up so much of my mind when he never even asked to.' _

The man in question stands not far from Shikamaru himself, his face covered by his hood, headband, glasses, and the high collar of his shirt. Shino is talking with Ino, Tenten, and Chouji, his posture relaxed and at peace with his friends as they talk over something that Shikamaru can’t care to listen in on. He has a glass of champagne in his hand, but it looks like he hasn’t taken more than a sip of it, if even that much. It takes everything in Shikamaru’s power not to roll his eyes at himself because of the way his mind immediately recalls the fact that Shino hates foods and drinks with too strong of a flavor. Shikamaru knows that every time that Shino has even the slightest sip of an alcoholic drink, he winces, cringing at the flavor as his sensitive taste buds process the taste. Shino only likes mead, a preference that he gained when Ino and Chouji turned him onto the drink made from fermented honey, spices, and fruits. Even now, the Nara heir can see Shino looking for a discreet way to somehow discard the drink.

However, it seems Shikamaru isn’t the only one who’s noticed that Shino is trying not to drink his champagne as Ino curiously but not unkindly asks, “Oh, you’ve hardly touched your drink, Shino. Do you not like it?” Her question piques the interest of Chouji and Tenten, who turn their interest to Shino as they find themselves wanting to know the answer to the question as well.

Shino is a damn good ninja, and Shikamaru knows that he’s one of the few people in the world that can see the way he tenses at the question. Though their generation is tight-knit, all of them used to relying on each other for support, Shino is still socially awkward when attention is put on him. It almost makes Shikamaru laugh; Shino clearly doesn’t want to offend Ino, since it’s her family that provided the drink, but he also can’t drink the champagne down without obviously wincing at the flavor. He always overthinks in social situations, nervous and unsure if he's going to offend anyone by accident.  _ 'It's kinda… charming, in a weird way,' _ Shikamaru thinks, unable to stop the way his lips try to twitch upwards at the question.

Deciding to save Shino from feeling awkward for the rest of the night, Shikamaru strides the short distance to the small group of other shinobi. Knowing that Shino's kikaichu hate smoke, especially cigarette smoke, Shikamaru empties his lungs into the night air, letting the wind carry it away from the crowd of people. He pulls the cigarette from his mouth and puts it out with his shoe before finally reaching the small group of shinobi.

"Hn. Guess I'll just hang with you guys for now." Leaning his elbow on Shino's shoulder - which is slightly uncomfortable because of their difference in height - he takes the champagne flute from Shino's hand before lifting it to his lips and downing the drink. Swallowing the last of the liquor, he sets the now empty glass on a nearby table before looking back to his friends. "So," he begins in his lazy drawl, "What were we talki-"

"Shikamaru!" Ino yells, brows pushing together in frustration as she throws her hands up in a gesture that's caught somewhere between familiar annoyance and 'it-was-bound-to-happen' exasperation. Shikamaru nearly laughs at how her anger contrasts the "You can't just take Shino’s drink out of his hand! That’s incredibly rude of you!”

“Huh?” Shikamaru asks, unconcerned in both voice and actions. “Oh, was that yours?” Dark eyes turn to Shino, who the strategist is still leaning on. He hums noncommittally, shrugging as he looks back towards Ino. “My bad.”

A wordless yell of frustration leaves Ino’s throat like a loud siren. Shikamaru cringes at the sound, and he can see the wince of everyone else in the group, though they’re all smiling at their friends’ familiar relationship. If Ino hadn’t scolded Shikamaru at least once during the party, then it wouldn’t have been a true Konoha party. “You-!”

Laughing sheepishly, Shino holds his hands out as if to placate the other ninja. There’s the faintest hints of color high on his cheeks, the very small amount of his face that’s visible, at being placed so suddenly into the spotlight. Shikamaru’s eyes dart over to Shino, taking in the way blood rushes against Shino’s skin. He tries to memorize the sight in the short period of time he has - one, two, thr- before he looks away lest he be caught in the act. “Ino, it’s fine, I-”

“Shino, you’re way too kind!” Ino scolds, uncaring of how she’s trying to advocate for Shino and his - now gone - drink. They all know that she’s just being ‘mean’ to keep up appearances. She pokes a finger into Shikamaru’s direction, a childish gesture that hasn’t changed since their youth. It takes effort for Shikamaru not to break a small grin at how some things never change, but he manages to keep his bored expression in place. After all they’ve been through, familiarity and routine is something they all find comfort in. “Shikamaru, go get Shino another glass right now!” She orders, but there’s a cheerful twinkle in her eyes that shines for her friends. 

Just as Shikamaru had planned. With a put-upon sigh, Shikamaru pulls himself away from Shino to stand up in his usual slouch. “Fine, fine,” he sighs. Nudging Shino’s arm, he jerks his head towards the Yamanaka’s main house, where he knows more of the wine is stored. “C’mon, let’s go." Without looking back, Shikamaru begins his walk to the nearby building. He doesn't even need to look to know two facts with certainty. The first of these is that, though he hears nothing, he knows that Shino is following him, silent and graceful as a butterfly with all the steadfastness of a beetle. The second fact is that Ino and Chouji, as well as Tenten, have knowing smiles on their faces

It's not a second later that Shino's stride takes him to Shikamaru's side, his long legs closing the short distance with ease. Though Shikamaru has a naturally slow, lackadaisical pace, and Shino naturally walks very formally, his motions are faster and more strict. However, when Shino catches up to Shikamaru, he changes his pace to something more relaxed, his long legs moving in slower steps. It seems like a more natural gait for Shino to walk at, like he’s always stressed and it’s only when he’s walking next to the Nara heir that his mind is at ease. Shikamaru feels somewhat flattered by the way Shino seems to feel more comfortable around him than most people, and he’s too self aware to ignore how his own pace may change a bit, may gain a bit of - dare he say it -  _ excitement _ that helps his own pace make a compromise with Shino’s.

“Thank you, Shikamaru.”

Glancing at Shino out of the corner of his eyes, Shikamaru’s bored expression takes on a hint of curiosity in the draw of his eyebrows. “What for? I stole your drink, I think you should be doing the opposite of thanking me.” Shikamaru reaches up to rub the slight stiffness out of his neck that he got from trying to hide the fact he was smoking at the party from his mother and ducking his head to hide his smokey exhales. She’d told him not to, and for the most part he hadn’t, but every once in a while he sneaks off for a quick break. Dealing with people is  _ exhausting, _ and he just needs a minute to himself now and then.

Shino’s head tilts as he looks at Shikamaru, seeming to examine him in a way that prods at Shikamaru’s entire being. It’s not an unpleasant feeling - in fact, it’s one Shikamaru quite enjoys - to be the center of Shino’s focus, but the genius wishes he could tell what Shino is thinking. Well, he wishes that he could tell what Shino is thinking at that exact moment. A certain type of open blankness takes over what parts of Shino’s face can be seen, a perfect poker face that even Shikamaru can’t read. Aburame are known for their mystery and secrecy, and while Shikamaru is a strategist with a skill for reading people, Shino is one of the best ninjas at maintaining a blank expression that reveals nothing. Shikamaru just has to wait to see what Shino says next.

A small huff of laughter floats from behind the high collar of the jacket Shino wears. It’s impossible to see the lower half of Shino’s face, but Shikamaru is willing to bet that his mouth is close to forming a smile, the barest hint of one. “I think I am correct in thanking you. Why?” Shino’s dark brow lifts as he glances at Shikamaru from behind the dark lenses of his goggles. “Because you know that I have a severe distaste for liquor and drank my alcohol so I wouldn’t have to.”

It’s hard to tell, but Shikamaru knows that when he looks over at the Aburame heir, he meets Shino’s eyes directly, and he lets their eyes remain locked for just a moment before he looks away. He rolls his eyes with enough exaggeration to let Shino know that he’s right, before shrugging. “Whatever you want to think, I guess,” he says, but the corners of his mouth twitch upwards. Next to him, Shino shakes his head with slow, easy amusement shared between two close friends. 

They step up to the door of the Yamanaka’s main house and Shikamaru opens the door without a second of hesitation, just like he’s been doing since he first started going to the Yamanaka compound. He steps inside the entryway, leaning against the door to hold it open before making a sweeping gesture with his arm to invite Shino inside. “Right this way,” he drawls, an amused curl playing at his lips as Shino bows his head slightly, a subtle gesture of thanks that he’s very familiar seeing Shino use, even with friends and family. “Kitchen’s at the end of the hallway on the left.”

“Thank you,” Shino says quietly as he steps through the doorway, passing by Shikamaru and beginning down the hallway with quiet, careful footsteps that are respectful but, unlike they would have been in his youth, not awkward or stiff. After all their generation has been through, they’ve become familiar and close in a way that is hard to define, but that none of them are willing to change. Whenever they need company, need to  **not be alone, they can’t be alone, it hurts, don’t leave me,** they are welcome into each other’s house with open arms and no questions asked. Shikamaru knows that the Yamanak’s Compound is closest to the Aburame’s, and Shino is very welcome at their home whenever he needs company and comfort.

Closing the door with his foot, Shikamaru follows behind Shino until they reach the kitchen, where both men take a moment to glance out at the still living party in all of it’s golden lantern light and bright conversation. Shino looks to Shikamaru as the other man subconsciously pulls another cigarette from the carton and places it between his lips. He doesn’t light it, just lets it rest. Shino says nothing; he knows it’s both a habit that Shikamaru adopted to remind him of his late mentor and father, and it helps to calm and reassure Shikamaru. Shino won’t say anything against it. They all have their vices, and Shikamaru hardly ever smokes so much as he lets the cigarette perch between his lips. Shino is no saint, and he isn’t going to be the one to throw the first stone.

“They are having fun out there,” Shino comments idly, a soft, whimsical type of happiness in his voice as he watches Sakura pull Ino into a dance while Tenten, Kiba, and Kankuro have drinking competition that seems to border on hospital-worthy. Temari is standing next to Sasuke, both watching the competition with expressions of exasperation and fondness, with Gaara and Naruto nearby talking as Naruto continues to pick food off the buffet table and put them on Gaara’s plate. Lee, Chouji, and Hinata aren’t far off, all three of them deep in conversation as they refill their glasses with mimosas. “I’m glad,” Shino continues, “they deserve to be happy.”

Next to him, Shikamaru nods, the motion slow and relaxed. “They do,” Shikamaru agrees, feeling the warmth of comfort spread through his chest, “We all do, especially after all we’ve been through.” 

“You’re right, per usual,” Shino chuckles as he smiles out at the pleasant scene. Home, he thinks, is a blessed feeling, and he cherishes every single part of it, struggles and breakdowns and all.

Shaking his head, Shikamaru shoots his friend a wink before turning back to the kitchen. “When aren’t I?” he asks, faux arrogance in his voice as he steps towards the fridge, opening the doors and peering inside. “You mind getting a couple of cups out of the cabinet?”

Shino nods, moving away from the windows to the cabinets closest to the doorway, where he knows the Yamanakas keep their less-fancy glasses. “You’re not actually getting me another glass of champagne, I trust?” Shino asks as he selects two glasses from the set that he knows that Ino personally dislikes, but that Shino is quite fond of because their geometric shape makes them comfortable to hold. 

Shikamaru scoffs as he pushes containers of extra hors devours and pitchers of fruity drinks out of the way as he looks for what he knows must be there. “‘Course not, I know you hate them and wouldn’t drink it even if I gave you one.” Glancing at Shino over his shoulder, Shikamaru speaks again. “Speaking of, why didn’t you just tell Ino that you don’t like alcohol? She would’ve understood. No one’s gonna force you to drink if you don’t want to.” Finally finding what he’s looking for, Shikamaru makes a small noise of satisfied victory as he pulls out a pitcher of water with fresh slices of cucumber and lime with sprigs of mint. 

It’s Shino’s favorite drink, Chouji had told him after one night when Chouji had needed a friend and had found himself at Shino’s house, the quiet man welcoming as Chouji sat next to him and sat in tired silence. Ino had said the same after she and Shino had spent a day in her garden, carefully tending to the plants after Shino had a stressful clan meeting. Shikamaru also found out this information first hand after he’d stumbled across Shino researching the wellbeing of local insect life in the forest, several large journals of information in front of him as Shikamaru settled beside the taller man for a short nap. After stealing Shino’s canteen, Shikamaru had found himself fond of the drink as well and now drinks it regularly.

Setting the glasses on the counter, Shino sees the pitcher that Shikamaru sets on the counter and nods approvingly, a small smile pulling at his lips behind the collar of his jacket. “Ah, Ino had been so certain that I would enjoy the champagne that I told her I would try it. She was so excited that she thought she found an alcoholic beverage that I would like that I didn’t want to let her down.” Shino admits, glancing away sheepishly as he ducks his head. “I was attempting to resolve myself to drink the rest of it when you came by and saved me from such a fate, for which I am grateful.”

A laugh pushes itself out of Shikamaru’s chest as he takes his cigarette in his fingers before it falls to the ground. “Really? That’s all it is?” Shikamaru asks, still smiling as he takes the handle of the pitcher in his free hand and pours a generous amount in both of the glasses. Looking up at Shino, he puts the pitcher back in the fridge as he says, “You know she wouldn’t mind if you didn’t like it, right? She’s not going to be offended just because you don’t like the taste of some champagne.” Turning back to Shino, he finds that the charming pink has crawled back onto the visible slivers of the Aburame’s cheeks. 

“I’m aware,” Shino protests, the petulant whine sounding strange and humorous in his deep voice, “But that was not the point. Why? I didn’t want to disappoint Ino after she so excitedly told me that she had found a drink I would enjoy.” Looking back up at Shikamaru only to find him laughing even harder, Shino releases a huff of air and deadpan-glares at the genius. 

Shaking his head as he wills his laughter dies down, Shikamaru can’t force the crooked grin off his face. “Sorry, sorry,” he says as he pushes one of the glasses towards Shino. “You’re just so nice, and you caught me off guard there. I thought it was going to be something else, but that’s even better.” Shikamaru leans against the counter, setting his cigarette on the counter as he lifts his glass to his lips and takes a slow drink. As he swallows the refreshing, citrus-flavored water down, Shikamaru sees movement from over the rim of the glass and he realizes that Shino is taking off his jacket and setting it over the back of the chair. Shikamaru pauses, water flooding into his mouth before he remembers to swallow it down. Clearing his throat, Shikamaru sets his glass on the counter to find Shino is now only in his black turtleneck, pants and sandals, his vest left at home.

It’s not hard to see that Shino looks different without his jacket, that he’s much more noticeable without the heavy fabric obscuring his face and body. It’s been a fair while - months, maybe even a year or so - since Shikamaru has seen Shino without something hiding him. His hair is longer, just long enough to brush his nape, and his lips are healthier than Shikamaru remembers. Then again, it was a dry winter last Shikamaru saw Shino without his jacket, and Shino had been sick enough that he was in the hospital. Their entire group of friends had been terrified, and to this day, they all watch for poisonous bugs that look a bit  _ too _ much like Shino’s when they’re out in the forests.

Now, however, Shino’s lips look healthy, a subtle kind of pink-sepia that draws Shikamaru’s attention effortlessly. They look soft, like a painter made them with careful swoops and curves of their brush. Shikamaru admits that he thinks of them more often than he sees them, and now that he is seeing them, he’s far too aware of how his own lips feel, and how they want to feel Shino’s against them.

Shikamaru realizes that he’s been staring, but before he can look away, Shino catches him in the act. Shino’s hand pauses, glass lifted halfway to his mouth. “Shikamaru? Is there a problem?” Shino asks, a hint of concern glazing his words as he sets his glass on the counter, turning his full attention to the other ninja.

Shaking his head, Shikamaru clears his throat before saying, “No, nothing’s wrong. I just don’t see you without your jacket often.” He shrugs, trying to will the warmth in his cheeks away. He looks down into his cup, picking out a sprig of mint and setting it aside so he doesn’t choke on it when he takes another drink.

“Oh. Do I have a strange appearance without it?” Shino asks, confused as to why Shikamaru’s gaze was so firmly fixed on him, pinning him in place. He takes a small sip from his water, and notices that Shikamaru’s gaze quickly moves back to his mouth.

Shikamaru has to force himself to look away from Shino’s mouth and try to meet his gaze through the dark lenses that hide the eyes that everyone is oh-so-curious about. “Hn?” He processes the question before shaking his head again. “No, you look good, I’m just not used to seeing your like,” Shikamaru vaguely gestures to his lower face, “Your mouth, I guess. You just look a bit different than normal, but not bad at all.”

Giving a short nod, Shino finds this an acceptable answer as he leans against the counter opposite of Shikamaru. “I see. I suppose I do wear my jacket very often and seeing my lower face is probably unusual to you. Though I did not think that this would be something of note. Why? Because I did not think many people thought about my physical appearance besides that I have a physical form.” Shino explains as he swirls the water around inside of the glass, watching the calm sloshing of it before taking another drink.

Chuckling, Shikamaru shakes his head. “I assure you, many people think of what you look like very often, myself included,” Shikamaru says with a soft smile as he lets his eyes move over Shino’s face once again. “I don’t get to see your face often, after all.” Shikamaru shrugs as he tries to memorize the lines and contours of Shino’s face. He’s not sure the next time he’ll get to see Shino like this, and he wants to cherish it while he can.

“You think of my facial appearance?” he asks, his head tilting to the side in a way that reminds Shikamaru of how he used to do when they were younger. “It seems like something that doesn’t warrant much thought. It’s just my face.” Shino feels his cheeks grow blood-warm as Shikamaru’s gaze roams over Shino’s face, a certain type of warm shine in the brown irises that Shino has caught glimpses of before, but not for when their eyes locked for more than a few seconds. Now, having it on him with no distractions or looking away, it weighs heavy on Shino’s skin, and he can’t say he minds.

Shikamaru sets his glass down, rests his hands on the counter behind him beside his hips as he watches Shino subconsciously begin to lean forward into the exchange. “On the contrary, your face warrants quite a bit of thought,” Shikamaru replies, voice even though his cheeks grow pink. “Well, it’s more like your face intrudes a lot of my thoughts, but I have a lot of thoughts about you anyway, so who’s to say where one starts and the other ends?” Shikamaru shrugs as he drums his fingers on the underside of the marble countertop. In that moment, he decides that he’s going to be the first to fold, to show his hand and lay his cards on the table. “Not being able to see your eyes is driving me crazy, and it’s worse with your mouth. It’s that whole ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’ thing. Do you know how many times a day I think about kissing you?” Across from him, Shino’s surprise is written all over him in his body language as he slowly shakes his head. Shikamaru’s mouth pulls into a lazy, crooked grin before he says, “Me, either. I always lose count.”

“Oh,” Shino breathes quietly, and the tight fabric of his turtleneck makes it easy for Shikamaru to get lost in staring as Shino sets his own glass on the counter. Swallowing around the surprise that caught in his throat, Shino moves one hand to hold onto the side of his goggles. His own mouth twitches into a subtle grin as he sees the way the movement makes Shikamaru’s breath catch and his eyes widen. “So if I were to stop wearing my goggles and jacket, you would not think about me as much?”

Smirk growing, Shikamaru shakes his head. “Not a chance. I’ll probably think about you even more if you do that,” he admits readily, not ashamed of it in the least. This is going much better than he planned, and it’s making him bold.

Clicking his tongue against his teeth, Shino shakes his head. He knows, too, that he could be pushing his luck, but he decides that this is something he’d be willing to risk himself for. Taking a step closer towards the other man, he invites Shikamaru to close the small distance between them even more. “Shame on me for distracting such a brilliant mind. I should cover up even more, if that’s the case,” he suggests with a tease that makes Shikamaru feel a surge of fondness towards the other man. Shino hardly jokes or teases, so to have him so clearly flirting with him makes Shikamaru’s heart stumble.

Clearing his throat, Shikamaru pushes himself off the counter, standing toe-to-toe with Shino, a sly grin on his lips “I have enough room in my mind. I think you could stand to be in a few more of my thoughts.” Reaching out, Shikamaru puts his other hand on the other side of Shino’s goggles. He doesn’t move them yet, waiting for Shino’s permission. “If you’re so unsure, you could kiss me and we’ll see how it goes from there.” He shrugs, his other hand moving to Shino’s hip as he smirks expectantly at the other man.

Shino’s lips, the center of many of Shikamaru’s thoughts, pull into a matching smirk that looks too damn good on him. “That sounds reasonable. I assume you want me to take these off as well?” Shino asks, tapping his forefinger against the goggles.

“You know me too well,” Shikamaru replies, his monotone voice colored with playful ease and familiarity. Moving slowly, he helps Shino push his goggles up to rest on top of his headband, careful to give Shino enough time to change his mind. But he doesn’t, moving his hand away from his infamous eye-covering without hesitation. Shikamaru lets his hand fall away, drawing in a quiet inhale of surprise as bright green eyes fix on his own, the color of the sun shining through leaves. Shikamaru has to pause, to take the time to process this new information and what Shino’s entire face looks like. It’s new to know what Shino actually looks like, and Shikamaru knows that while he may have been joking earlier, he ended up stumbling on the truth.

“Well?” Shino asks, and it’s bizarre to know what he looks like when he talks, but the most wonderful kind of bizarre. “Have you come to any conclusions yet?” Shino asks, smiling that soft smile that Shikamaru has seen both too much and not enough of.

Pretending to give a hum as he thinks, Shikamaru ends up shaking his head. “Not yet. I think we need to kiss before I can decide anything.”

Shino’s eyes light up as an amused exhale leaves him. “Very well. Then please, I invite you to kiss me.”

No more words need exchanging before Shikamaru leans in, slotting his lips against Shino’s in a slow, chaste kiss. Shino’s hands move to Shikamaru’s neck, thumbs gently rubbing against his jaw as Shino presses back, all gentle and curious, testing the waters with careful gestures. Shikamaru feels warm seep into him through the kiss, happiness at a long-held desire being filled. His hands hold tight to Shino’s waist, pulling the other man close enough to feel the body heat radiating off them. Shino easily complies with Shikamaru’s actions, his own hands slipping further back to cradle the back of the Nara’s skull and tilt his head to angle the kiss better.

The kiss is warm and seems to contain its own eternity, turning a second into days into years. It feels so perfect, like it fulfills something they hadn’t thought to complete, confirming that their feelings for each other, before their need to breathe forces their lips to part.

The soft sound of breathing is all they can hear as they look at each other, refusing to release each other from their embrace. Breathless smiles pull at the corners of their mouths before Shikamaru speaks. “I think that will be very fundamental in getting to the bottom of this,” he murmurs, so close to Shino that he knows he doesn’t need to speak up to be heard.

Shino chuckles, the sound like spiced cider in winter. “I’m glad I could be of assistance. I suppose now all we can do is wait, hm? We should wait a week and see how well you fare.” Stepping back from their embrace, Shino pulls his jacket off the chair and begins to pull it on.

“Really? You’re leaving already?” Shikamaru rolls his eyes, crossing his arms as he watches Shino pull up his hood. “What if I get the ‘results’ before the week is up?”

Looking back at Shikamaru, Shino smiles, all sly and cunning. “Oh, I know you already have your answers. And I have mine as well. The question that we’re waiting on the answer to is a different one entirely.” Shino moves his hands to push his goggles into place over his eyes, and Shikamaru mourns that he can no longer see them.

Cocking a brow, Shikamaru watches as Shino steps closer, standing in front of Shikamaru once again. “Oh? What question is that?” he asks, deadpan curiosity in his voice.

Gently taking Shikamaru’s chin in his hand, Shino pulls him in and leans forward in until their lips are hardly an inch apart. “The question at hand is who the council will send after my head first after news of us gets around and they want me dead for stealing the heart of Konoha’s best strategist.” Before Shikamaru has a chance to ask what Shino is talking about, he’s being dragged into another kiss, which he is more than happy about.

However, the meaning of Shino’s words hits him in full three seconds later, when he hears a large bowl clatter to the ground and Ino’s voice loudly exclaiming, “Shikamaru?! Shino?! Oh my god, finally!” Before her footsteps are rushing back outside to the party as she yells about how everyone needs to hear about what she just saw and “Guess who’s finally together!”

So that’s what Shino had meant. Shikamaru can’t help but chuckle, the sound smothered by the kiss, as he tangles his fingers in Shino’s hair. If anyone tried to take this from them, it would be the last thing that they'd ever do.


End file.
